Desiccating device for firearm barrels



June V19, 1951 G. E. GIBSON 2,557,277

DESQICCATING DEVICE FOR FIREARM BARRELS Filed Aug. 14, 1946 Gerald E. Gibson Patented June 19, 1 951 DESICCATING"DEVICE'FORFIREARM BARRELS" Gerald E. .Gib somSalt madame Application August 14, 1946; Serial No. 690,573

3 Claims 1 Myrr. invention deals. with. desiccating devices,

and more particularly to ,1 devices of: the type adapted-J tov prevent or inhibit corrosion caused bymoisture within the barrels of firearms;

In. ordinary practice, thebarrels of ,firearms areprotected against rust and corrosion by applying :a.film of gun oil or. grease to the exposed surfaces, so as..to prevent .moisture-containing air from coming. into. directcontact withthe,

metaL .Itwill be.manifest,. however, that .such

protection is purely temporary, as the oil or grease usually vaporizes or is-otherwise removed after a relatively short period of-tim e.

Heretofore, to. protect the..bore of a rifle, or.

other firearm, foranysubstantial length ofv time, it has been necessary .to. preserve the same-with a heavy grease. procedure requires .agreat .expenditurelof time It necessarily follows that-such and effort, xand-that such:.grease.must .be removed 1 by thorough cleaning before thefirearm may be used. 1

Accordingly, it is an object of my invention to provide a device-=in-the form of aplug which is adapted -for insertion within; the; muzzle of a rifle, pistol, shotgun, or other firearm,- and whichcontains a suitabledesiccating.material, whereby moisture present in the bore of a firearm is absorbed by.-such material to prevent rust andioth'er forms of, corrosion. causedby .moisture.

It .is -.another .obj ect .of the. present invention to .providea deviceof this character wherein the degree of. moisture .absorbed. .by n the desiccating material. may be visually determined in order that :thedevicemay. be replaced or rejuvenated tolafforcl. lastingprotection to. the bore of an associated firearm.

'It:is,-a further object ofmy invention to. pro,-- vide a corrosion inhibiting device of the character described, which is singularly adapted for use with small arms of varying calibers.

It is still a, further object of my invention to provide a device of this character which is structurally simple and consequently economical in manufacture.

These and various other objects and advantages will become readily apparent with a more complete understanding of my invention afforded by the following description and accompanying drawing... wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved corrosion inhibiting device occupying its operative position within the muzzle of a rifle;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the device;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4. is -a detailed elevationalview oi -the perforated retaining 1 bafile;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational plan view :of a

slightly modified form of my improved corrosioninhibiting devicewherei-n the same is adapted for. use-with-a double-barreled gun.

With reference to the drawings, it will be'seen that my improved desiccating appliance for firearms embodies a cylindricaltubular body 10 formedat one end with a longitudinally disposed tapered projection l l.- The-body in its preferred form is constructed from a transparent or translucent synthetic resin, such as-Vinylite, Lucite Plexiglas,-or othersuitable transparent or trans- 1 lucent acrylic or vinylresins.

The body I8 is further formed with a'cylindrical chamber I2 which is openat one of its ends and which communicates at its opposite end with a channel or bore- 13 disposed axially of andv extending longitudinally through the adapted to receive a mass of desiccating material l4, preferably crystals of a compound known as silica gel which occurs as a mineral--in--=itstapered projection H. The' chamber l2 natural form. It will be understoodthat various deliquescent salts, may be utilized as'the'desiccant material contained within the body." However, I have found that silica gel in the -above mentioned crystalline form serves most readily for this purpose dueto its ready ability to absorb moisture from atmospheric air.

The chamber i2 is provided with a circular-- perforated-"bafiie [5 which extends transversely over the borel3-of the projection H, and which serves to prevent theparticles of desiccating.

material from accidentally dropping through the bore I3.

The open end of the chamber is sealed, once the desiccant has been placed therein, by a circular cap I6, positioned so as to form a relatively tight and flush fit with the end of the body It). For this purpose, the end wall of the body is recessed, as at IT, to form a circular ledge upon which the cap is positioned. The cap is then permanently united with the body by cementing the two together through the use of suitable solvents.

The tapered projection II is formed so as to adapt the same for insertion within the muzzle of a firearm, as shown in Fig. 1. It will be noted that in so forming the projection, the same will fit within the muzzles of a various number of guns of different calibers or gauges. In this manner, my device contemplates use with all small arms from .22 caliber rifles to gauge shotuns.

When positioned within the muzzle of a gun, it will be manifest that my improved desiccating device will cause the atmospheric air present therein to be brought into contact with the desiccating action of the material l4, and consequently be relieved of its moisture content.

The mass of desiccating material 14 contained in the chamber of the body is impregnated with a suitable moisture-indicating compound, such as cobalt chloride (COClz) which when in a relatively dry condition is deep blue in color, and which changes as the moisture contentincreases to a pale pink. Thus, as the desiccant, silica gel, absorbs moisture through prolonged usage, the degree of moisture may be visually determined by noting the change in color caused by the cobalt chloride, and the device may be removed and replaced by one containing the dry silica gel.

It will be seen, due to the transparency of the body [0, that this change in color of the crystals of silica gel may be easily detected through periodic inspections, in order that the bores of the associated guns may at all times be kept in a dry moisture-proof condition.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings, I have illustrated a slightly modified form of corrosion inhibitor which is formed with a pair of tapered projections at one end of the tubular body, which projections are so formed as to fit within the individual barrels of a double-barreled gun.

It will be apparent from the above disclosures that it is necessary to employ some means for closing or otherwise stopping up the breech of the firearm, when using my improved desiccating device. For this purpose, a cartridge, either live or dummy, may be inserted into the breech of the gun in order that the bore of the same may be closed at both ends for efficient desiccating action.

While I have disclosed what I now'deem to be preferred forms of my invention, it will be manifest that various changes as to design and details of construction may be later accomplished without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A corrosion-resisting device for removable attachment to firearm barrels, comprising a, body having a diameter in excess of that of the bore of a gun barrel with which the device is adapted. to be associated, said body at one end thereof being formed with a longitudinally extending tapering plug member of a diameter adapted for insertion within the muzzle of the associated firearm, the plug member of said body being formed with an open longitudinally extending passage establishing communication between the barrel bore of the firearm and an internal chamber present within said body, a mass of moisture-absorbing material positioned within said chamber, and a perforate baffle member arranged within said body between said plug member passage and said chamber, said bafile member serving to con- 'fine the water-absorbing material within said chamber.

2. A corrosion-preventin device for the bores of gun barrels comprising: a body larger in diameter than the gun barrel in which the device is adapted to be inserted, said body being formed with an internal chamber for the reception of a moisture-absorbing material, a muzzle-entering plug rigidly and longitudinally projecting from one end of said body, said plug being formed with an axially disposed passage establishing communication between the interior of an associated gun barrel and the absorbentcontaining chamber of said body, said plug having externally tapered walls of a, diameter enabling the plug to enter the muzzle of a gun barrel and brought into frictional wedging engagement with the wall of the barrel bore to close said bore and at the same time frictionally retain said device in its operative position of application on the gun barrel.

' 3. A corrosion-preventing device for application to the muzzle of gun barrels as defined in claim 2, in combination with a screen disposed at the juncture of the chamber in the body of said device and the passage in said plug to confine absorbent material within said chamber and wherein said absorbent material contains a moisture-indicating dye.

GERALD E. GIBSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 540,748 Layton June 11, 1895 650,615 Salomon May 29, 1900 1,116,663 Woodruif Nov. 10, 1914 2,112,906 Dietz Apr. 5, 1938 2,315,049 Cronstedt Mar. 30, 1943 2,335,901 Ayers, Jr. Dec. 7, 1943 2,406,993 Chandler Sept. 3, 1946 2,407,023 Lockwood Sept. 3, 1946 2,465,163 Lockwood Mar. 22, 1949 

